(Too) Bold Predictions aims to take nuanced, well-researched information and use it to make wildly improbable predictions. Analysis!
J.J. Stankevitz:
1. Mitch Trubisky will throw for 300 yards for the first time since...he last played the Eagles.
Trubisky's season high in passing yards is 252, with a good chunk of those coming in garbage time against the New Orleans Saints. The last time he threw for over 300 yards was in the Bears' playoff loss to the Eagles back in January, though, so there's Step 1 to building this argument.
Step 2: The Eagles have allowed 300 passing yards in half their games this year, some from good quarterbacks (Aaron Rodgers, Matt Ryan) and others from...Case Keenum? (Checks notes) Yep, Case Keenum.
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Step 3: The Eagles have one of the better run defenses in the NFL, one that's only getting better as All-Pro interior defender Fletcher Cox rounds into form. So this will be a game in which the Bears, rightly, may feel they have to pass to win.
Trubisky made a handful of good throws last week against the Chargers, which represented progress for statistically one of the worst quarterbacks in the NFL. If Trubisky can find that same downfield groove that led him to hit Anthony Miller, Tarik Cohen and Allen Robinson a few times, this should finally be the game in which Trubsiky crests 300 yards again. If not? The Bears don't have much of a shot.
2. Roy Robertson-Harris will fill up the box score.
How about 2 1/2 sacks, 4 QB hits, one forced fumble and two pass break-ups? A game like that would stem from the Bears stopping the run on first and second down, allowing the lengthy, athletic Robertson-Harris to bully his way to a big day.
The Bears will need someone other than Khalil Mack to step up and get pressure on Carson Wentz, given the Eagles will likely do everything possible to make sure Mack does not impact the game (they did this in the Wild Card game). Robertson-Harris is capable of making this kind of an impact.
NFL
Cam Ellis
1. Allen Robinson goes over 100 yards with two touchdowns
Like JJ mentioned, the Eagles' run defense is good! The secondary, less so. Taylor Gabriel and Anthony Miller got some looks against the Chargers, but this offense still is basically the Mitch Trubisky-Allen Robinson connection. The coaches are going to want to get Trubisky in a rythym early, and he gets in rythyms by throwing the ball to Robinson. The wide receiver had his first breakout performance in a Bears uniform against the Eagles in January's Wild Card game, so maybe history repeats itself.
2. Eddy Piñeiro doinks a field goal attempt.
I actually think Piñeiro will have a bounceback performance, but at this point, it feels like the Eagles and Bears are irrevocably connected by that stupid play. The Talking Heads will love it, Eagles fans will love it, and the way this Bears' season has gone so far, it's only a matter of time. Prepare accordingly.